Rotary and transversely adjustable microscope stage

ABSTRACT

Cross-moving stage of a microscope comprising a lower stage member supported by a support member of the microscope rotatably about the optical axis of the microscope, an upper stage member slidably supported on the lower stage member, and a clamping holder for a slide glass slidably supported on the upper stage member by a slide member guided in the upper stage member. The support member mounts thereon rotatably a first handle and a second handle coaxially with the first handle. The first handle moves the upper stage member regardless of the rotational position of the lower stage member while the first handle is kept stationarily with respect to the microscope. The second handle moves the clamping holder relative to the upper stage member by operating the second handle independently from the displacement of the upper stage member relative to the lower stage member regardless of the rotational position of the lower stage member.

I Umted States Patent 3,572,888

[72] Inventor Takashi Kawashima 2,003,387 6/1935 Ott 350/86 Tokyo, Japan2,148,908 2/1939 Lory 350/90 31969 Primary Examir er-David Schonberg,

Assistant ExammerT. H. Kusmer [45] Patented Mar. 30,1971 Atmme n K81 man[73] Assignee Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. y

Tokyo,Japan Pnomy 1968 Sept 1968 ABSTRACT: Cross-moving stage of amicroscope comprising apan a lower stage member supported by a supportmember of the [3 1 1 43/64674 and 43/64675 microscope rotatably aboutthe optical axis of the microscope, an upper stage member slidablysupported on the lower stage [54] ROTARY AND TRANSVERSELY ADJUSTABLEmember, and a clamping holder for a slide glass slidably sup MICROSCOPESTAGE ported on the upper stage member by a slide member SClaims8DrawingFigs guided in the upper stage member. The support member mounts thereonrotatably a first handle and a second handle [52] U.S.C| 350/86,coaxially with the first handle The first handle moves the 74/29, 269/61upper stage member regardless of the rotational position of the lowerstage member the first handle is kept ta- Field Of Search tionarily withrespect to the microscope The econd handle 35O/8690; 269/61 moves theclamping holder relative to the upper stage member by operating thesecond handle independently from the dis- [56] References Citedplacement of the upper stage member relative to the lower UNITED STATESPATENTS stage member regardless of the rotational position of the lower1,891,052 12/1932 Ott 350/90X stage member.

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YNVENTOR Klifiu KHWHIHI HQ RQ TAEY AND TRANSVERSELY ADJUSTABLE CRQSCOPESTAGE BACKGROUND OF THE lNVENTlON The present invention relates to astage of a microscope and, more particularly, to a rotary cross-movingstage of a microscope having its handles for operating the stage for thecross-movement thereof kept stationarily with respect to the microscoperegardless of the rotation and the operation of the stage.

in the operation of a conventional microscope, stage operating handlesare very frequently operated together with focusing handles for thecoarse and fine adjustment of the relative position between a specimento be inspected and an objective used in the observation thereof.Therefore, it is desirable to locate such handles as the focusinghandles and the stage operating handles at positions near the table soas to make it convenient to manipulate them during the observation ofthe specimen for a long time. Since the manipulation of the handles arerequired to be carried out while the specimen is being inspected, it isdesirable to keep the handles at stationary positions with respect tothe microscope in order to easily touch the handles without seeking thehandles by the observer's eyes.

In the prior art microscope, the stage operating handles are mounted onthe movable stage member of the stage, therefore, when the stage isoperated so as to move the movable stage member, the handles are movedrelative to the microscope together with the movable stage memberthereby making it very difficult to touch the handles for the operationthereof without seeking them by the eyes.

Such difficulties are more significant when the stage is rotatable.Since it is a usual practice in the observation of a specimen by using amicroscope that the observer makes a record about the specimen on apaper by using a pencil held by his right or left hand while thefocusing handles or the stage operating handles are manipulated by theother hand during the observation of the specimen, it is made extremelydifficult to operate the stage operating handles when the same are movedto positions inconvenient for the operation thereof as the stage isrotated.

Further, since the stage operating handles of the prior art are movedrelative to the microscope when the stage is operated, it is necessaryto provide a sufficient space around the microscope for the freemovement of the handles without interfering with other elements of themicroscope, thereby making it very difficult to design a microscopewhich is com pact in size and simple and efi'icient in construction.

Further, since the stage operating handles of the prior art are movedrelative to the microscope when the stage is operated, it is difiicultto use the microscope in a thermostat by utilizing a remote controlmeans with or without an electric motor for driving the handles.

The present invention aims at avoiding the above described disadvantagesof the stage of the prior art microscope and providing a novel anduseful cross-moving stage of a microscope.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is toprovide a novel and useful cross-moving stage of a microscope whichavoids the above described disadvantages of the stage of the prior artmicroscope.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel and usefulstage of the type described above in which the stage operating handlesthereof are kept stationarily with respect to the microscope on which itis mounted regardless of the positions of the cross-movement of themovable stage members moved by the handles so as to facilitate theoperation of the handles.

Further object of the present invention is to provide a novel and usefulstage of the type described above which is rotatabie and in which thestage operating handles are kept stationarily with respect to themicroscope regardless of the rotational position of the stage so as tofacilitate the operation of the handles.

The objects of the present invention are achieved in accordance with thepresent invention by providing two stage operating handles for thecross-movement of the stage each rotatably mounted on a stationarysupport member of the stage mounted on the microscope and each providedwith a gear fixedly secured thereto, two rack means, one of which isfixedly secured to an upper stage member slidably mounted on a lowerstage member so as to be moved in one direction with respect to thelower stage member and extends in the one direction of the movement ofthe upper stage member, while the other rack means is fixedly secured toa slide member slidably mounted on the lower stage member so as to bemoved relative to the lower stage member in a direction at apredetermined angle, preferably at a right angle, to the one directionof the movement of the upper stage member and extends in the directionof the movement of the slide member,

. the slide member being operatively coupled with another slide memberslidably guided in the upper stage member and carrying thereon aclamping holder for a slide glass of a specimen so as to be movedtogether with the clamping holder relative to the upper stage member ina direction at a predetermined angle, preferably at a right angle, tothe one direction of the movement of the upper stage member throughpin-slot means operatively connecting the two slide members to eachother, the slot of which extends in the one direction of the movement ofthe upper stage member so that the movement of the upper stage memberdoes not affect the relative position between the two slide members, andtwo coupling gear means each mounted on the lower stage member and eachadapted to be coupled with the respective gears of the handles and therespective rack means so that the upper stage member and the clampingholder are separately moved by the operation of either of the two stageoperating handles for the cross-move ment of the stage while the handlesare kept stationarily with respect to the microscope regardless of thepositions of the upper stage member and the clamping holder to whichthey are moved by the operation of the handles.

in accordance with another feature of the present invention, the lowerstage member is rotatably mounted on the support member so as to berotated about the axis of the microscope and each of the coupling gearmeans comprises a ring gear rotatable about the axis of rotation of thelower stage member which engages with the respective rack means and therespective gears of the two handles through an idle gear rotatablysupported on the support member so that the operative coupling of therespective ring gears with the mating gears of the handles is maintainedat all times regardless of the rotational position of the lower stagemember while the stage operating handles are kept stationarily withrespect to the microscope.

Clamping means is provided so as to clamp the lower stage member againsteither of the ring gears or the support member so that the lower stagemember is rotated without changing the relative positions of the upperstage member and the clamping holder with respect to the lower stagemember by clamping the ring gears against the lower stage member whilethe lower stage member is held in its rotated position by ciamping thelowerstage member against the support member by the action of theclamping means.

By the cross-moving stage of the present invention, since the stageoperating handles are kept stationarily with respect to the microscoperegardless of the operation of the stage, the operation of the handlesis made extremely easy while the design of the microscope is made easy,because the space required for the movement of the handles relative tothe microscope is dispensed with.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a general plan view showingone embodiment of the cross-moving stage constructed in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line Il-II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line Ill-Ill in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line lV-IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the gearing mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. I, anupper stage 1 slidably supports thereon a clamping holder 2 having apair of clamping arms 2a and 2b in the conventional manner. As shown inFIG. 3, the clamping holder 2 is supported by a slide member 3 slidablyguided in the upper stage member 1 by means of bearing balls 4 so thatthe slide member 3 is moved in the direction perpendicular to the planeof FIG. 3, i.e., in the vertical direction in FIG. l together with theclamping holder 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper stage member 1 is slidably supported on alower stage member 5 by means of bearing balls 6 so that the upper stagemember I is moved in the direction at a predetermined angle to thedirection of the movement of the clamping holder 2 relative to the upperstage member 1. In the drawings, the predetermined angle is selected tobe a right angle. Thus, the upper stage member I is moved in the leftand right direction in FIGS. 1 and 3 relative to the lower stage member5 while the clamping holder 2 is moved in the up and down direction inFIG. 1 relative to the upper stage member I, i.e., in the directionperpendicular to the plane of FIG. 3.

The upper stage member I is provided with a vernier scale 7 whichcooperates with a scale 3 secured to the lower stage member 5 so thatthe amount of the movement of the upper stage member 1 relative to thelower stage member 5 is read out by the scales 7, 8. Similarly, theupper stage member 1 and the clamping holder 2 are provided with avernier scale and a scale I and 2 cooperating with each other so as toindicate the relative movement of the clamping holder 2 relative to theupper stage member 3.

The upper stage member I is provided with an elongated hole la forpassing the light from the specimen therethrough to the objective of themicroscope.

The lower stage member 5 is rotatably mounted on a support member 9 andprovided with a central threaded hole 5a. A threaded flanged ring 10 isthreaded in the central hole 5a with the flanged portion of the ring it)engaging with the upper inwardly bent annular portion of the supportmember 9 so that the lower stage member 5 is rotatably held on thesupport member 9.

The support member 9 is adjustably mounted on a holder bracket II whichis in turn mounted on the microscope fixedly or ,shiftably for thefocusing and having a well known centering mechanism 12a, 12b engagingwith the base portion of the support member 9 so that the support member9 is adjusted to permit the center of the central hole 50 of the lowerstage member 5 to coincide with the optical axis X-X while the lowerstage member 5 is permitted to rotate.

The upper stage member 1 is provided with a rack 13 secured at the lowerside thereof. The rack 13 extends in the direction of the movement ofthe upper stage member 1 relative to the lower stage member 5 so that,when the rack 13 is actuated, the upper stage member 1 is moved relativeto the lower stage member 5.

The slide member 3 slidably guided in the upper stage member 1 isprovided with a pair of guide plates 14a, 14b secured to the lower sideof the slide member 3 in spaced relation from each other so as to definetherebetween a guide slot M extending in the direction parallel to themovement of the upper stage member 1 relative the the lower stage member5.

A slide member 15 is slidably guided in the lower stage member 5 bymeans of bearing balls 16 so as to move in the direction at apredetermined angle, preferably at a right angle, to the direction ofthe movement of the upper stage member I relative to the lower stagemember 5. The slide member H5 is provided with a pin 17 secured to theupper side thereof which slidably engages in the guide slot 14 formed bythe pair of guide plates 14a, 14b while a rack 18 secured to the lowerside of the slide member 15. The rack 18 extends in the directionparallel to the movement of the slide member 15 relative to the lowerstage member 5. Thus, when the rack I8 is actuated, the slide member 3and hence the clamping holder 2 are moved relative to the upper stagemember I through the pinslot engagement 14, 17, independently of themovement of the upper stage member 1 relative to the lower stage member5 regardless of the relative position of the upper stage member I withrespect to the lower stage member 5.

It is apparent that the pin 17 may be secured to the slide member 3 andthe slot 14 may be formed on the slide member 15 in place of thearrangement shown in FIG. 3 in order to achieve the same effect asobtained by the arrangement shown in FIG. 3.

In accordance with the characteristic feature of the present invention,a handle 19 is rotatably supported on the lower side of the supportmember 9 through the rotatable fitting of a shaft 20 fixedly mountingthe handle I9 on its one end within a sleeve member 21 secured to thesupport member 9. A gear 22 is fixedly secured to the opposite end ofthe shaft 20.

Another handle 23 is rotatably fitted on the sleeve 21 so that thehandle 23 is arranged coaxially with the handle 19. A gear 24 is fixedlysecured to the handle 23.

As shown in FIG. 2, the handles 19 and 23 are located near the table(not shown) supporting the microscope and are stationary with respect tothe microscope because they are mounted on the support member 9, therebyfacilitating the manipulation of the handles 19, 23 by the observer.

As may be clearly seen in FIG. 6, gear 22 meshes with an idle gear 25freely rotatably mounted on a sleeve 26 secured to the support member 9while the gear 24 meshes with an idle gear 27 secured to one end of ashaft 23 freely rotatably supported in the sleeve 26. An idle gear 29 isfixedly secured to the other end of the shaft 28 so as to rotatetogether with the idle gear 27.

A pair of ring gears 30 and 33! forming the coupling gear means arerotatably arranged around the cylindrical portion 5b of the lower sideof the lower stage member 5 in overlying relationship on each otherconcentrically with respect to the axis of rotation of the lower stagemember 5, i.e., concentrically with the optical axis X-X. The relativepositions between the idle gears 26, 29, the ring gears 30, 31 and theracks l3, 18 are so selected that the ring gear 30 engages with the idlegear 25 as well as the rack 13 while ring gear 31 engages with idle gear29 as well as rack 18. An annular distance ring 32 fitted on thecylindrical portion 5b and having a V-shaped convex cross section isinterposed between the pair of ring gears 30, 31 as shown in FIG. 2 sothat they are rotatably supported by the distance ring 32. The ring 32is provided with at least one axially extending groove 32a in the innersurface of the ring 32 (FIG. 3) and a pin 33 secured to the cylindricalportion 5b of the support member 5 slidably fits in the groove 32a sothat the ring 32 is axially slidable but prevented its rotationalmovement relative to the support member 5. An annular threaded ring 34is fixedly threaded on the outer end of the cylindrical portion 5b ofthe support member 5 so as to loosely hold the pair of ring gears 30, 31on the cylindrical portion 5!). The annular threaded ring 34 is providedwith a thread on the outer periphery thereof and a clamping ring 33formed with an annular raised portion 35a and having an operating lever36 secured thereto is rotatably threaded on the outer thread of the ring34. The ring 32 and the ring 35 serve as clamping means for clamping thering gears 38, 31 against the lower stage member 5 or for clamping thelower stage member 5 against the support member 9. That is, when theclamping ring 35 is rotated by the lever 36 in one direction to approachthe gear rings 31), 31, then the gears 30, 31 are pressed together bythe annular raised portion 35a of the ring 35 against the lower face ofthe lower stage member 5 by virtue of the interposition of the distancering 32 sothat the gears 30, 31 are firmly clamped against the lowerstage member 5. On the other hand, when the clamping ring 35 is rotatedin the opposite direction, the ring 35 is urged against the supportmember 9 and, since the ring 35 is firmly fitted with the outer threadof the ring 34 fixedly secured to the lower stage member 5 by theabutment of the ring 35 against the support member 9, the lower stagemember 5 is clamped against the support member 9.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pin 17 loosely passes through anelongated slot 37 formed in the lower stage member 5, while the slidemember 3 is located in a slot 38 formed in the upper stage member 1 andguided by the bearing balls 4 located between the slide member 3 and apair of guide rods 39, 411 secured to the upper stage member 1 along therespective edges of the slot 38.

The operation of the stage as described above is as follows.

When the upper stage 1 is to be moved, the ring 35 released from thegear 30 and urged against the support member 9 by operating the lever 36and the handle v19 is rotated. The rotation of the handle 19 istransmitted through the gear 22, the idle gear andthe ring gear to therack 13 secured to the upper stage member 1 so as to move the same.Since the rack 13 extends in the direction parallel to the movement ofthe upper stage member 1, the engagement of the rack 13 with the ringgear 31) is kept at all times regardless of the position of the upperstage member 1.

When the clamping holder 2 is to be moved, the handle 23 is rotated. Therotation of the handle 23 is transmitted through the gear 2d, idle gears27, 29 and the ring gear 31 to the rack 18 secured to the slide member15 so as to move the same. Since the rack 18 extends in the directionparallel to the movement of the slide member 15, the engagement of therack 1b with the ring gear 31 is kept at all times regardless of theposition of the slide member 15. The movement of the slide member 15 istransmitted through the pin-slot engagement 14, 17 to the guide plates14a, 14!; secured to the slide member 3 slidably guided in the upperstage member 1 and carrying thereon the clamping holder 2. Since theslot 14 extends in the direction parallel to the movement of the upperstage member 1 relative to the lower stage member 5, the drivingconnection between the slide member 15 and the slide member 3 throughthe pin-slot engagement 14, 17 interposed therebetween is not affectedby the movement of the upper stage member 1 regardless of the positionof the upper stage member 1 relative to the lower stage member 5. Thus,the movement of each of the upper stage member 1 and the clamping holder2 can be effected independently from each other by operating therespective handles 19 and 23.

When the stage is to be rotated, the ring is urged against the ringgears 3d, 31 by operating the lever 36 so as to prevent the ring gears31), 31 from being rotated relative to the lower stage member 5 whilethe lower-stage member 5 is made freely rotatable. Then, the lower stagemember 5 is rotated to any desired rotational position. Since the ringgears 30, 31 are fixedly secured to the lower stage member 5 by theclamping ring 35, the position of the upper stage member 1 relative tothe lower stage member 5 as well as the position of the clamping holder2 relative to the upper stage member 1 is not varied by the rotation ofthe lower stage member 5 while the handles 19, 23 are free to rotate dueto the relative movement between the ring gears 36', 31 and the idlegears 25, 29. When the stage is rotated to a desired position, theclamping ring 35 is operated so as to fix the lower stage member 5 tothe support member 9. Then the operation of the upper stage member 1 andthe clamping holder 2 can be effected in the manner as previouslydescribed.

Since the handles 19, 23 are mounted on the stationary support member 9,the handles 19, 23 are kept stationary at all times regardless of themovement of the upper stage member 1 and the clamping holder 2 and therotation of the stage,

thereby facilitating the operation of the handles 19, 23 without seekingthem by the eyes of the operator.

it is apparent that the handle 23 may be mounted on the support member 9at difi'erent position from the handle 19 insofar as it is located nearthe handle 19 so as to facilitate the operation of the both handles.

lclaim:

1. Cross-moving stage of a microscope comprising a lower stage membersupported by a support member mounted on the microscope, an upper stagemember slidably supported on said lower stage member so as to be movedin one direction relative to said lower stage member, and a clampingholder for a slide glass and slidably supported. on said upper stagemember by a first slide member secured to said clamping holder andslidably guided in said upper stage member so as to be moved relative tosaid upper stage member in a direction at a predetermined angle,preferably at a right angle, to said one direction of the movement ofsaid upper stage member, wherein the improvement comprises a firsthandle means rotatably supported on said support member and having afirst gear fixedly secured thereto, a second handle means rotatablysupported on said support member and having a second gear fixedlysecured thereto, a first rack fixedly secured to said upper stage memberand extending in the direction parallel to said one direction of themovement of said upper stage member, and a second rack fixedly securedto a second slide member slidably guided in said lower stage memberrelative thereto in a direction at a predetermined angle, preferably ata right angle, to said one direction of the movement of said upper stagemember, said second rack extending in the direction parallel to thedirection of the sliding movement of said second slide member, pin-slotmeans being provided so as to operatively connect said first slidemember to said second slide member, the slot of said pin-slot meansextending in the direction parallel to said one direction of themovement of said upper stage member, said first gear of said firsthandle means being operatively coupled with said first rack throughcoupling gear means rotatably supported on said lower stage member whilesaid second gear of said second handle means is operatively coupled withsaid second rack through another coupling gear means also rotatablysupported on said lower stage member, thereby permitting the movementeach of said upper stage member and said clamping holder to be effectedseparately by operating either of said first and second handle meanswhile the positions of said first and second handle means are keptstationarily with respect to the microscope regardless of the positionsof said upper stage member and said clamping holder.

2. Cross-moving stage according to claim 1, wherein said second handlemeans is mounted coaxially with said first handle means by providing asleeve member secured to said support member in interposed relationshipbetween said first and second handle means.

3. Cross-moving stage according to claim 1, wherein said support memberis adjustably mounted on a holder bracket which is in turn mounted onthe microscope thereby permitting the centering of said support memberwith respect to the optical axis of the microscope to be effected.

4. Cross-moving stage according to claim 1, wherein said lower stagemember is rotatably supported on said support member so as to be rotatedabout the optical axis of the microscope, and each of said coupling gearmeans and said another coupling gear means comprises a ring gearsupported on said lower stage member so as to be rotated about the axisof rotation of said lower stage member and engaging with said first orsecond rack, each of said ring gears being coupled with said first orsecond gear through an idle gear freely rotatably supported on saidsupport member so as to permit the engagemerit of each of said idlegears with the respective ring gears to be ma ntained regardless of therotational position of said lower stage member, clamping means beingprovided for releasably arresting the relative rotation between saidlower stage member and either of said ring gears or said support memberthereby permitting said lower stage member to be rotated withoutchanging the relative positions of said upper stage member and saidclamping holder with respect to said lower stage member by clamping saidring gears against said lower stage member allowing said first andsecond gears to be rotated together with said first and second handlemeans by said ring gears through said idle gears while said lower stagemember is held stationarily at its rotated position with respect to saidsupport member by clamping said lower stage member against/said supportmember by said clamping means.

5. Cross-moving stage according to claim 4, wherein said ring gears areaxially shittably supported on said lower stage member in overlyingrelation to each other, and said clamping means comprises a distancering interposed coaxially between said ring gears and axially shiftablysupported on said lower stage member while it is prevented from rotatingrelative to said lower stage member, and a clamping ring interposedbetween said support member and the adjacent one of said ring gears andthreadedly engaged with said lower stage member so as to be rotatedabout the axis of rotation of said lower stage member, therebypennitting said ring gears to be clamped against said lower stage memberin cooperation with said distance ring by rotating said clamping ring inone direction while said lower stage member is clamped against saidsupport member by rotating said clamping ring in the opposite direction.

1. Cross-moving stage of a microscope comprising a lower stage membersupported by a support member mounted on the microscope, an upper stagemember slidably supported on said lower stage member so as to be movedin one direction relative to said lower stage member, and a clampingholder for a slide glass and slidably supported on said upper stagemember by a first slide member secured to said clamping holder andslidably guided in said upper stage member so as to be moved relative tosaid upper stage member in a direction at a predetermined angle,preferably at a right angle, to said one direction of the movement ofsaid upper stage member, wherein the improvement comprises a firsthandle means rotatably supported on said support member and having afirst gear fixedly secured thereto, a second handle means rotatablysupported on said support member and having a second gear fixedlysecured thereto, a first rack fixedly secured to said upper stage memberand extending in the direction parallel to said one direction of themovement of said upper stage member, and a second rack fixedly securedto a second slide member slidably guided in said lower stage memberrelative thereto in a direction at a predetermined angle, preferably ata right angle, to said one direction of the movement of said upper stagemember, said second rack extending in the direction parallel to thedirection of the sliding movement of said second slide member, pin-slotmeans being provided so as to operatively connect said first slidemember to said second slide member, the slot of said pin-slot meansextending in the direction parallel to said one direction of themovement of said upper stage member, said first gear of said firsthandlE means being operatively coupled with said first rack throughcoupling gear means rotatably supported on said lower stage member whilesaid second gear of said second handle means is operatively coupled withsaid second rack through another coupling gear means also rotatablysupported on said lower stage member, thereby permitting the movementeach of said upper stage member and said clamping holder to be effectedseparately by operating either of said first and second handle meanswhile the positions of said first and second handle means are keptstationarily with respect to the microscope regardless of the positionsof said upper stage member and said clamping holder.
 2. Cross-movingstage according to claim 1, wherein said second handle means is mountedcoaxially with said first handle means by providing a sleeve membersecured to said support member in interposed relationship between saidfirst and second handle means.
 3. Cross-moving stage according to claim1, wherein said support member is adjustably mounted on a holder bracketwhich is in turn mounted on the microscope thereby permitting thecentering of said support member with respect to the optical axis of themicroscope to be effected.
 4. Cross-moving stage according to claim 1,wherein said lower stage member is rotatably supported on said supportmember so as to be rotated about the optical axis of the microscope, andeach of said coupling gear means and said another coupling gear meanscomprises a ring gear supported on said lower stage member so as to berotated about the axis of rotation of said lower stage member andengaging with said first or second rack, each of said ring gears beingcoupled with said first or second gear through an idle gear freelyrotatably supported on said support member so as to permit theengagement of each of said idle gears with the respective ring gears tobe maintained regardless of the rotational position of said lower stagemember, clamping means being provided for releasably arresting therelative rotation between said lower stage member and either of saidring gears or said support member thereby permitting said lower stagemember to be rotated without changing the relative positions of saidupper stage member and said clamping holder with respect to said lowerstage member by clamping said ring gears against said lower stage memberallowing said first and second gears to be rotated together with saidfirst and second handle means by said ring gears through said idle gearswhile said lower stage member is held stationarily at its rotatedposition with respect to said support member by clamping said lowerstage member against said support member by said clamping means. 5.Cross-moving stage according to claim 4, wherein said ring gears areaxially shiftably supported on said lower stage member in overlyingrelation to each other, and said clamping means comprises a distancering interposed coaxially between said ring gears and axially shiftablysupported on said lower stage member while it is prevented from rotatingrelative to said lower stage member, and a clamping ring interposedbetween said support member and the adjacent one of said ring gears andthreadedly engaged with said lower stage member so as to be rotatedabout the axis of rotation of said lower stage member, therebypermitting said ring gears to be clamped against said lower stage memberin cooperation with said distance ring by rotating said clamping ring inone direction while said lower stage member is clamped against saidsupport member by rotating said clamping ring in the opposite direction.